Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-12-22
Toinette and the Tiger.
BIZ WALLACE r. REED.

but II s wifc's face wore trubled look.
perhaps We had better stay At
home" SHE said.
Nonsense. replied LaRue, There
is no danger. These circus men are
always spread ng some wild rumors
about the escape of lions and tigers.
They do it to advertise the show. You
are not afraid are you. ToineiIep"
Toinette. u pretty girl of 16, tossed
her golden tresses with an mir OF dis
dain.
IL am not going out" she said,
"and the tiger is not likely to come
into the house. Marie will demand all
my attention while you are gone"
Mr.. LsRue and his wife were on the
way to the village, some six miles dis
tant when this conversation took place.
For day or two the country people
had been somewhat exc ted over tho
report that II royal Bengal tiger had
escaped from the menagerie attached
TO the Great Western Circus. then ex-
hibiting at II neighboring town. but
nothing definite could be learned. and
many agreed with LaRue that the story
was nothing but al advertising dodge.
Toinctte watched her parents rs they
drove off in buggy, and waved her
hand to them as they disappeared
around the bend in the road.
The girl was strckenly fair and deli
cate for farmers daughter. Her
vivacty, inherited doubtless with her
French blood. were all that saved her
from be ng a doll-like beauty, with her
pink and white complexion and hair
like spun gold.
''Toinctte! To'notter' yelled the baby
sister. bright little S.year-old. "won't
90 tum and play cirky p
Marie had never seen circus, but
she had heard all about it, and on this
particular morning she had brought
out her collection of toys. and was de-
termined TO get up n monster Aggre-
CATION Of Wonders" that would rival
those advert sed BY the Great Western.
Toinette saw that she WAS in for it,.
LET me see if the coast is clearv'
she exclaimed, rs she ran to tho front
door,
There was nothing in sight on the
lonely road. and not human figure
WAS to be seen in the fields surrounding
the house.
Alone in this sol tude, with the ncar-
est neighbor mile away. the girl for
"a moment yielded to slight nervous
ness. Then she shrugged her shoulders
in her French way and laughed.
This is q picnic for Marie" she
said, land 1 suppose must assist her
in turning the house upside down"
For IN hour or so the two had y
delightful romp. The family cat was
harnessed to little wagon and made
to trot around an imaginary ring until.
revolving in high dudgeon. she tore
herself loose from the harness, and fled
to the woods. All of the playthings
were utilized in turn, until finally
Marie threw them pctuantly away.
and clamored for new pleasure.
1t was no slight task to amuse this
spoiled child. but Toinettc was good
natured, and nothing delighted hel
more than frolic. After everything
else had been tried she thought OF one
resource that had never been known
to fail.
Now let's blow bubbles" she
suggested.
A scream of pleasure from Marie
showed that no better scheme coult
have been devised.
In another moment the two hat
established themselves at the end O
the back piazza, with Big bowl o
suds and couple of clay pipes.
The servants had been given holi
day on account of the circus, ant
perfect silence reigned with tho OK
ception of the shouts raised by Toincttc
and Marie when an unusually large
bubble floated upward like a gorgeous
little balloon.
Toinette had all cliild's fancy fol
gaudy colors. and she found hcrscl
watching the prismatic hues of tho big
bubbles with intense interest.
A low growl disturbed her. ant
caused her to look around.
big cat" said Marie. cheap big
germ our cat. Amt she p'itty?"
Toincttc'S blood frozo with terror a
she turned her head.
On the piazza, between the girls AM
the back door stood royal Bcnga
tiger!
Just what To!nottc would have don,
VII never be known. Fortunately th,
tigers action decided The matter. On,
of Maric's bubbles had fioated in hi
direction. 1t rested lightly on the til
of his nose, and, founding off. it SHIN
mcrcd with dazzling magnilicenco fo
n second and then collapsed.
Tho t'gcr was unquostionably aston
| ;oknI II hont an th;Nr th,t Ia, l.